Mouth harmonica



Dec. 10, 1957 K. MAST 2,815,693

MOUTH HARMONICA Filed Aug. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II I l 9 HI 11H: 4 fi/vs I'M/QM!) I:

Kurt Masf Dec. 10, 1957 K. MAST 2,815,693

MOUTH HARMONICA Filed Aug. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 invemor:

Kqr-I- Mast i -ichaul 6.

United States Patent MOUTH HARMONICA Kurt Mast, Trossingen (Baden-Wurttemberg), Germany, assignor to Firma Matth. Hohner A. G., Trossingen (Baden-Wurttemberg), Germany Application August 2, 1955, Serial No. 525,959

Claims priority, application Germany August 5, 1954 8 Claims. (Cl. 84377) The present invention relates to mouth harmonicas and more particularly to that type of mouth harmonica in which a slide member is located between the mouthpiece and the chambers of the harmonica for opening and closing these chambers.

In known harmonicas of the above type it is conventional to provide a mouthpiece made of one piece and the remainder of the harmonica is carried by this monthpiece. Between the mouthpiece of such a conventional harmonica and the remainder thereof are arranged the slide member and guides for the slide member. Thus, such a conventional harmonica is made up of a great number of parts and a great deal of time and money is required in the manufacture of these parts, in assembling the same, and in adjusting them.

One of the objects of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks by providing a mouth harmonica which is of an exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction as compared to the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mouth harmonica of the above type which is made up of an extremely small number of parts which may be very easily and inexpensively assembled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mouth harmonica wherein a plurality of separate conventional parts are combined into one single one-piece body which may be formed of a synthetic plastic, for example, and which may be either poured or pressed.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a mouth harmonica which includes no separate members for guiding the slide member.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mouth harmonica capable of accomplishing all of the above objects and at the same time being made up of simple and ruggedly constructed elements which are very simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble and which will have a long life.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of a mouth harmonica which includes a one-piece body. This one-piece body includes an elongated mouthpiece having upper and lower edges and a partition wall extending along the mouthpiece between these edges thereof and extending rearwardly from the mouthpiece. This one-piece body also includes a plurality of chamber-forming walls extending from opposite faces of the partition wall, these chamber-forming walls being made up of a pair of elongated rear walls extending substantially longitudinally along the partition wall distant from the mouthpiece and a plurality of mutually spaced transverse walls extending from each of these rear Walls transversely across the partition wall to the mouthpiece. These transverse walls are respectively formed adjacent the mouthpiece with a plurality of pairs of aligned cutouts, and these pairs of aligned cutouts form two rows ,-.o f cutouts respectively located on opposite sidesof the .:parti'tion wall. An elongatedpslide member, for opening and: closing .the chambers formedby the above wall, is

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tition wall extends, and this elongated slide member is slidably guided in the rows of cutouts of the transverse walls.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 s a perspective view of a mouth harmonica constrncted in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows the harmonica of the invention as it appears from one side thereof with the cover, reed plates, and slide member removed;

Fig. 3 shows the side of the structure of Fig. 2 not visible in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line VIVI of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of one end portion of the harmonica of the present invention as seen from the front of the harmonica with the reed plates and cover of the harmonica removed;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing in addition to Fig. 4 the reed plates and the covers associated with the structure of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale showing the end portion of the harmonica which appears in Fig. 5 as seen from the rear side of the harmonica; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of a slide member of a slightly different construction from that shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the mouth harmonica according to the present invention includes a one-piece body, which may be made of any suitable plastic, for example, and this one-piece body includes a mouthpiece 1 and a body portion 2 which carries the reed plates 11. Furthermore, the guides 3 for the slide member are formed in the one-piece body. As is apparent from the drawings the one-piece body member 2 which includes the mouthpiece 1 also includes a partition wall 5 which extends from the mouthpiece 1 rearwardly away from the same, this partition wall 5 extending along the mouthpiece 1 between the upper and lower edges thereof. A plurality of chamber-forming walls extends from opposite faces of the partition wall 5 to form with the latter and with the reed-carrying plates, as will be apparent from the description which follows, the chambets 4 of the harmonica. These chamber-forming walls include a pair of elongated walls 22 which extend substantially longitudinally along the partition wall 5 from the opposite faces thereof, walls 22 being located distant from the mouthpiece 1. Also the chamber-forming walls include a plurality of mutually spaced transverse walls 6 which extend from each of the walls 22 up to the mouthpiece 1. Thus, as is apparent particularly from Fig. 5, the front ends 6 of the wall 6 and the front edge 5 of the partition wall 5 join to the mouthpiece 1 and form one piece therewith. It will be noted particularly from Fig. 5 that the front ends 6 of the transverse wall 6 form together with the mouthpiece 1 the mouthpiece openings 1, while the front edge 5 of the partition wall 5 does not extend forwardly to the same extent as the partition wall 6.

As is well known the chambers 4 have different lengths, and these different lengths are provided by the rear walls a 22 which are inclined with. respect to; the mouthpiece formedv with an elongated cutoutthrgugh which the parl-in the manner held most-clearly in Figs. 2 and}. The network of walls of the one-piece body .2 whichcoppenatetogether to form the-chambers 4 are surrounded by a rim portion 9 which extends from opposite ends of the mouthpiece 1 and which is formed in one piece with the one-piece body 2. At its right-hand end, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, the one-piece body 2 is formed with a slot extending through the rim portion 9, and the slide member 7 extends through this slot 10 into the interior of the harmonica.

The elongated slide member 7 is formed substantially centrally with an elongated slot or cutout 7' through which the partition wall 5 extends. As is evident from Fig. 5, the transverse walls 6 are formed with a plurality of pairs of cutouts 8 forming two rows of aligned cutouts located on opposite sides of the partition wall 5, respectively, and the two limbs of the slide member 7 which are separated by the elongated cutout 7 thereof are respectively guided for sliding movement in the two rows of cutouts 8. As is apparent particularly from Fig. 5 these cutouts 8 are in the form of notches which extend downwardly from the upper surfaces of the upper transverse wall 6 shown in Fig. 5 and which extend upwardly from the bottom surfaces of the transverse wall 6 which extend downwardly from the underside of the partition wall 5, as viewed in Fig. 5. It will be noted that the front edge portion 5 of the partition wall 5 is thickened and is formed at the opposite faces of the partition wall 5 with a pair of elongated grooves 18 which communicate respectively with the two rows of notches 8. The limbs of the elongated slide member 7 are guided within the grooves 18 as well as in the notches 8.

As is apparent from Figs. 6 and 7 the reed-carrying plates 11 are connected to the body portion 2 in engagement with the outer end surfaces of the chamber-forming walls 6 and 22. These reed-carrying plates 11 are fixed to the body portion2 by elongated fastening members 13 which extend through bored portions 12 of the onepiece body 2. As is particularly apparent from Fig. 6, the outer edges of the slide member 7 are guided by the inner surfaces of the reed-carrying plates 11, respectively. These reed-carrying plates 11, which in a known way carry the reeds 19 shown in Fig. 6, respectively have front edges which extend parallel to the mouthpiece 1 and which are spaced from the mouthpiece 1 so as to form with the mouthpiece it a pair of elongated slot-like free spaces 21 into which the curved front edges 14' of the cover member 14 extend in the manner shown in Fig. 6. Furthermore, as is shown in Fig. 6, the mouthpiece portion 1 of the one-piece body 2 is formed with a pair of elongated grooves 21' which preferably form extensions of the free spaces 21 between the reed-carrying plates 11 and the mouthpiece 1. Thus, the front edges 14' of the cover members 14 are located between the front edges 11 of the reed-carrying plate 11 and the mouthpiece 1 in the manner shown in Fig. 6.

The slide member 7 carries an actuating knob 15 at the free end portion of the slide member 7 which extends outwardly beyond the rim portion 9 through the slot 10 therein, as is shown most clearly in Fig. 7. Furthermore, as is shown in Fig. 8, this slide member 7 may have a plurality of openings 16 formed in each of its limbs in a conventional way. However, instead of the openings 16 shown in Fig. 8 it is also possible to provide the slide member 7 with the cutouts 16, shown in Fig. 5, which communicate with the elongated central cutout 7 of the slide member 7.

In order to provide a good bearing surface for the slide member 7 and in order to obtain a good seal, the transverse walls 6 are formed at the regions thereof where the notches 8 are located with the thickened portions 17 shown in Fig. 5. The slide member 7 slides along the thickened portions 17. Furthermore, as had been pointed out above, the partition wall 5 is thickened adjaecnt to its front edge 5 and is formed with the grooves 18 which guide the slide member 7 and communicate with the two rows of aligned notches 8.

As is shown most clearly in Fig, 7, the partition We'll i- 5 is formed with a cutout 20 located beyond the chamberforming walls 6 and 22 and adjacent to and communieating with the slot 10 through which the slide member 7 extends. This cutout 20 has parallel to the mouthpiece 1 a dimension which is substantially equal to the stroke of the slide member 7. Because of the cutout 29 it is possible during movement of the slide member 7 to retain the elongated cutout 7 thereof through which the partition wall 5 extends constantly within the interior of the harmonica so that it does not extend outwardly beyond the slot 3%. In this manner a certain stability of the slide member 7 is obtained and access of foreign matter to the elongated cutout 7 is avoided.

The elongated slide member 7 is maintained in one of its end positions by a wire spring 23 having a pair of legs 23' and 23". The coiled portion of the wire spring 23 is carried by a pin portion 24 which is integral with the partition wall 5, so that this pin portion 24 forms part of the one-piece body 2. The leg 23 of the spring 23 extends into an opening 7" of the slide member 7 and carries adjacent to the slide member 7 a sleeve 25 made of a noise-dampening material such as rubber or the like. During reciprocation of the slide member 7 the noise-dampening sleeve 25 engages the stop portions 26 which also are formed in one piece with the one-piece body 2. Thus, the stops 26 which are located in the path of movement of the sleeve 25 which moves together with the leg 23 of the spring 23 limit the sliding movement of the slide member 7 and determine the stroke thereof. The other leg 23 of the spring 23 rests on a shoulder portion 27 of the one-piece body 2, and this shoulder portion 27 is formed with an elongated bore through which extends a fastening means 14" (Fig. 1) which fastens the cover members 14 to the harmonica. This shoulder portion 27 of the harmonica is part of the portion 28 of the one-piece body indicated in Fig. 7, and of course the bores for the fastening means 14 are located one at each side of the harmonica, as is evident from Fig. l.

The location of the reed-carrying plates 11 on the body portion 2 is determined by projections 29 integral with the body portion 2 and extending therefrom through openings of the reed-carrying plates 11, as is indicated in Fig. 7. Thus, these preferably cylindrical projections 29 extending through circular openings of the reed-carrying plates 11 precisely determine the position of the latter.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of mouth harmonicas dilfering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in mouth harmonicas made up of a one piece body which includes the mouthpiece, the chambers and the guide for the slide member, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mouth harmonica, in combination, a one-piece plastic body including an elongated mouth piece having upper and lower edges, a partition wall extending along said mouth piece between said edges thereof and extending rearwardly from said mouth piece, and a plurality Of chamber-forming walls extending from opposite faces of said partition wall and having outer end surfaces distant from said partition wall, said chamber-forming walls including a pair of elongated rear walls extending sub stantially longitudinally along said partition wall distant from said mouth piece and a plurality of mutually spaced transverse walls extending from each of said rear walls transversely across said partition wall to said mouth piece and forming with said edges thereof a row of openings, said transverse walls respectively being formed adjacent said mouth piece with a plurality of pairs of aligned notches extending inwardly from said outer end surfaces of said transverse walls and forming two rows of notches respectively located on opposite sides of said partition wall; a pair of reed-carrying plates respectively located on opposite sides of said partition wall in engagement with said outer end surfaces of said chamber-forming Walls forming rows of chambers with the same and extending over said notches; and an elongated slide memher, for opening and closing the chambers formed by said walls and reed-carrying plates, and being formed with an elongated cutout through which said partition wall extends and slidably guided by said reed-carrying plates and in said rows of notches of said transverse walls, said slide member being formed at opposite sides of said elongated cutout thereof with a plurality of additional cutouts cooperating with said row of openings and with said row of chambers.

2. In a mouth harmonica as recited in claim 1, a pin portion integrally formed with said one-piece body; a wire spring carried by said pin portion and having a pair of legs one of which engages said slide member; a shoulder portion formed integrally with said one-piece body and engaged by the other of said legs of said wire spring; a noise dampening member carried by said one leg of said spring for movement therewith; and a pair of stop portions formed integrally with said one-piece body and located in the path of movement of said noise dampening 6 member for engaging the latter to limit the stroke of said slide member.

3. In a mouth harmonica as recited in claim 2, said shoulder portion of said one-piece body being formed with a bore for receiving a means for fastening covers to the harmonica.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said additional cutouts of said slide member c0mmunicate with said elongated cutout.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 which includes a rim portion also forming one piece with said body and extending from opposite ends of said mouth piece.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said rim portion is formed with a slot through which said slide member extends.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said partition wall is formed adjacent said slot in said rim portion and beyond said chamber-forming walls with a cutout having parallel to said mouth piece a dimension substantially equal to the stroke of said slide member.

7-8. The combination as set forth in claim 7 which includes a plurality of projections integral with said onepiece body and wherein said reed-carrying plates are respectively formed with openings, said projections extending into said openings and determining the position of said reed-carrying plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

